Chocolate Chip Cookies…is there anyone who doesn’t love them? I doubt it. The very first thing I ever baked was chocolate chip cookies. I was probably about 12 years old, and I followed the recipe on the back of the bag of Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chips. They turned out great, and it became my specialty for years.
As the years went by I had my own kitchen, and I found myself spending more and more time there. My baking expanded to include cakes, cupcakes, pies, tarts, cobblers, jelly rolls, meringues, scones, cinnamon rolls, sticky buns, rugelach, and more. And although I’ve baked all kinds of cookies, chocolate chip still remain a favorite.
I’ve tried many different recipes for chocolate chip cookies, some being better than others. My current favorite is this one that I found online and it is aptly named The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Ever.
The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Ever (recipe courtesy George Duran)
makes 36 cookies
Ingredients
2 and ½ cup all- purpose flour ( I use unbleached)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt (I use kosher salt)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 and ½ cups brown sugar (I used half light brown sugar and half dark brown sugar)
½ cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla (no artificial, please)
2 cups (12-ounce package) chocolate chips (any good brand of semi-sweet)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (If you have convection, use it).
Line baking sheets with parchment.
Put the flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl and stir it with a whisk to combine. Set aside.
Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the butter until it is lighter in color. Slowly add in sugars and beat until it is light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until they are incorporated. Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture using low speed, then stir in the chocolate chips.
Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls (I use a mini ice cream scoop) about 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets.
Bake until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges, about 12 to 15 minutes. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes and then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
Note: The recipe can be doubled easily.
Once the dough is mixed you can chill it in the refrigerator for an hour or more before scooping onto cookie sheets.